IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


/q 

^  A 


f\%^4i 


1.0 


I.I 


2.0 


1.8 


lAO 


1.25 

1.4      1.6 

« 6"     

► 

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7 


O 


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# 


fliotographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


''i^ 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
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copy  which  may  t>e  bibliographically  unique, 
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the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  M  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  ditalis 
da  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atro  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  methods  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 


T 

P 
o 
fi 


Q 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagie 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurAe  et/ou  pelliculie 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


D 
D 
D 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


s/ 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagies 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaur6es  et/ou  pellicul6es 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcolor^es,  tachetdes  ou  piqu6es 


0 
b 
tl 
si 
o 
fi 
si 
o 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


D 


D 
D 


D 


Cartes  g6ographiqi:9S  en  couleur 


Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


D 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relid  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serrde  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intirieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  film6es. 


v/ 


D 
D 
D 
D 


Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtachdes 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Qualitd  in^gale  de  I'impression 

includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  suppldmentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
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ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  peiure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  film6es  d  nouveau  de  fagon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


Tl 
sf 
Tl 
w 

M 
di 
er 
be 

rit 
re 
mi 


D 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppldmentaires: 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film4i  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqud  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


7 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


The  copy  filmed  here  hes  been  reproduced  thank* 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library  of  the  Public 
Archives  of  Canada 


L'exemplaire  filmi  fut  reproduit  grice  A  la 
g^nirosit*  de: 

La  bibMothAque  des  Archives 
publiques  du  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  6ti  r»^  roduites  avec  le 
plus  prand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettetA  de  l'exemplaire  film*,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimie  sont  filmis  en  commen^ant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'iilustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  fiimis  en  commandant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'iilustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END  "), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
derniAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  — »>  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmAs  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diffirents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  film*  A  partir 
de  I'angle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nicessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

.A 
B( 


/ 


((J  v^ 

I 


Boston  MassdL/iiiSitfs 


ll'ith  thi    ll'ritn's 

Compliments 


The 


Cabot  Celebrations 

1497-1897 


I" 


h\ 


/ 


V 


The 


Cabot  Quadri- Centenary 


Celebrations 


AT 


Bristol   Halifax   and   St.- John's 


IN 


June  I897 


BY 


Rev.  Edward  G.  Porter  A.M. 


Reprinted  from  the 
Boston  February  J  898 


J 


M 


; 


I 


JOHN   CAHOT   AND   HIS   SON   SKBASTIAN. 

Modellfd   liy  John   ('iissldy  of  MiiiRhfstrr,    KiiKlinul.     Kxhildlod 
In  London,  1897. 


THE 


i 


New  England  Magazine. 


Nkw  Si- r IKS. 


KKURlAin.   iS(>a. 


\i.i  .   \\  II      No.  r.. 


TIIH    CAHOT    Ci:i.KlikA  riONS    Ol'    iSy;. 

A'f    /u/iviii,/   (,'.    Porttr. 


Arms  of   itiistul. 


_  ri'!R   fimi    lum 

Cjy^!^*'^  »  JGr  11  llacc(lluual)lc 
IK'^,fk•^•t,  the  dis- 
covert r  of  tlir 
Xortli  AimTioaii 
continent  lias  at 
last  been  liituself 
discovered  a  !i  d 
crowned  \v  i  t  li 
soinetliiiif^  of  the 
honor  which  is  justly  his  due.  Mow 
Mnj^daiid  could  ever  have  forgotten 
him  is  one  of  chose  stranv;;e  anotn- 
alies  which  are  found  sonietiines  in 
the  history  <»f  any  country.  The  real 
value  of  an  achievement  is  not  always 
apparent  to  the  j^eneration  that  wit- 
nesses '1.  The  element  of  time  must 
be  allowed  to  show  what  results  it  has 
accomplished,  i'.ut  this  does  not  alto- 
g^ether  e.xplain  the  treatment  accorded 
to  John  Calxjt;  for  time  lonj:;-  aj^o  re- 
vealed the  vast  indebtedness  of  T^n.tj- 
land  to  his  services.  ^'et  no  monu- 
ment, statue  or  tablet  has  ever  been 
erected  to  his  memory  until  :iow. 

There  arc.  {o  be  sure,  some  reasons 
to  be  pivcn  for  this  neglect.  The  voy- 
ages of  1497  and  I4t;8  failed  to  brin^ 
any  pecuniary  returns,  and  the  V.n^f- 
land  of  that  day.  like  its  thrifty  kin^. 
savv  little  worth  in  lands  discovered  if 
they  promised  nothing  in  spices, 
pems  or  trade.  Even  the  cod-fisher- 
ies did  not  attract  the  Enjjlish  as  much 
as  they  did  the  Portuguese  and 
French,    whose    hardv   mariners    re- 


sorted immediately,  and  in  swarms,  to 
the  shores  of  Newfoundland. 

The  fact  is  the  spirit  of  commercial 
enterprise  had  not  yet  been  aroused  in 
lvn^,dand.  The  home  nest  had  not 
been  shaken,  and  the  bird  of  freedom 
and  of  con(|uest  knew  not  how  to 
sj)read  his  winj;s.  Richard  h.den.  in 
his  Pccadcs  of  the  \cw  World,  pub- 
lished in  1555.  reproaches  Knj.,dan<l  for 
not  attempting'  more  voyages  to  the 
west,  as  tlu'  Spaniards  had  done,  for 
the  conversioii  of  the  nations  and  for 
her  own  advantapfe,  and  "not  ever  like 
sheep  to  haunt  om-  trade."     "Cabot," 


IMAOfNARV    MKDALLION    PORTHAIT 

OF    JOHN    CABOT. 

Uy  t,'iirlo  H.'irrcra  Ppzzl.     From 

a  memoir   published  in   Venice   in  1881. 

'-53 


(^54 


run  c.tnor  ir.i./.nh'.rnox. 


^^ 


/: 


MknrwtlL 


^^T^S*'"*" 


IWroUNOUANO 


;  • 


AI^OMCf 


•"^vV 


SM'TCII    MAI'    HIKiWiNt;    Tl  I  K  A  KKA     TltA  VIMISI M  •    liV     CAHOT    IN     II'.'T 


he  said,  "touchcil  only  in  tlu-  iiortli 
corner  and  most  barbarous  part 
tbereof,  from  whence  he  was  r>'pulsed 
with  ice  in  the  month  of  July. 
Neverthclesr.,  the  west  and  south  parts 
of  these  refj^iotis  have  since  l)een  better 
searched  by  other." 

This  apathy  of  I'.npfland  was  la- 
mented also  by  (leor^e  Bcsle.  who 
wrote  in  1578  that  the  work  was 
hindered  by  two  causes:  the  lack  of  a 
penerons  nobility  and  the  want  of  fkill 
in  cosmography  and  the  art  of  navi- 


SHIP    OF    CABOT  S     TIME. 


j^ation.  These  causes  were  destined, 
however,  to  be  soon  removed  and  the 
"navigation  which  in  the  time  of 
Henry  \'II.  was  very  raw,"  j^rew  in 
the  brilliant  reij^n  of  I*".li/.al)etli  to 
maj^nifieent  ])n)portions. 

ibis  remarkable  chanpc  was  re- 
llected  in  the  literature  of  the  country. 
Xo  notice  of  Cabot's  ex])loit  was  taken 
at  the  time;  and.  incredible  as  it  seems, 
there  was  no  printed  account  of  it  in 
the  English  lanj^ntage  for  fifty-eight  V 
\ears!  And  yet  Peter  Martyr  pub- 
lished a  narrative  of  it  in  Spain  in 
1516,  and  Kanuisio  in  Italy  somewhat 
later.  But  when  the  great  si-a-rovers 
started  out  from  the  west  of  l'".ngland 
ports  and  led  the  way  to  colonixation, 
h'nglish  writers  w^re  no  longer  silent. 
ICntertaining  descriptions  of  the  voy 
ages  followed  in  rapid  succession  from 
I  "den  and  Gilbert  and  Churchyard 
and  Stowe  and  llakluyt  and  Ilaies 
and  Peckham.  enlightening  and  stinui- 
lating  the  p.eople  as  to  the  wonders  of 
the  new  land  beyond  the  sea. 

The  merchants  now  came  to  the 
front  and  seized  the  opportunity  with 
a  degree  of  energy  and  zeal  never  be- 
fore witnessed.     They  were  too  busy 


1 


i 


I 


Tiir.  CI  nor  ciiLi.m  wion. 


f>^5 


the 

Iwith 

bc- 

husv 


JUlIN   fAllUT  AM>   HIS   THHKIO  SONS. 

I'lilnti'd  In  ili«  liiHt  iM-ntury  by  tlie  Abbe  Kran- 
ci'.sto  Orlmllnl  for  tho  Sala  di-Ilo  Scudo  In  th«  Ducal 
riilucc,  \'t'iiicc.  iTiiki'ii  fnim  a  photoKraph  of  (lie 
(irlfTlnal,  kindly  loain'il  liy  l>i'.  Mourliiot  of  Ottawa.) 
Tills  hall  l.s  covcri'tl  wlili  larwe  map.-*  reprosentliig 
remold  cuuiilrlf.s  dlsiovi-ri'd  or  visited  by  Venftlann. 
(irlsellnl  Is  .said  to  liuvc  followed  the  design  uf  older 
maps  which  had  become  Injured  by  time.  In  the 
backKPounil  Is  dlnily  seen  the  lower  part  of  a  map 
bearlnif  tho  names  Ocennus  Atlanth-us,  Floriila, 
Oiiba,  etc.  The  hat  In  leuend  may  be  rendered  as 
follows: 

Henry  VU.,  Kiuk  of  lOiiKland,  b.\  hetiers  Patent 
In  D'.iil.  cornmissloiieil  .lohn  t'.iboi  and  Sebastian,  his 
son,  sea  captains  well  a(  i|i'alntii|  with  astronomy 
and  navigation,  to  llnd  a  way  which  they  advocateil 
bMullnff  to  the  Kast  Indies  by  a  northern  coursi-. 
Although  In  this  hope  they  were  disappointed,  yet 
It  was  on  that  voyaj^e  ih;it  the  New  I.iand  was  dis- 
covered and  Cape  Florida. 

with  their  sohcnu's  of  adventnrf  in 
1597  to  trouble  tlieniselvcs  about  the 
men  who  had  opened  a  fiath  for  theni 
across  the  Atlantic  in  the  days  of  their 
grandfathers  —  if  indeed  there  was 
anywhere  in  the  world  at  that  time 
such  a  thought  as  a  centennial  cele- 
bration of  anything. 


Uoidi-.    iIkti'    wa>   ai- 
v\a>.s  itditUMon  us  to  tilc 
l»er>on    tiiiitlti!     to    the 
honor   ol   the    great    dis- 
I'oviry,       .\o    one    >liM)d 
out  ilear  and  foremost  as 
('olunihn>    had    done    in 
the  South.      It   \va>  "  The 
(  abots,"     or     "Sebastian 
t  abot    and     iiis    latlur." 
who  divided   the  honor>, 
and     for     a     long     titne 
luithei  of  them  seemed  of 
.■m\  aiioiii't.    The  father 
hrul    died,    no   one    knew 
\'lien.  where  or  iiow;  and 
son   passed   into  oi)- 
s  urily  for  fourteen  years, 
when     he     emerged     i.i 
.Spain   M.iiler  royal  favor, 
ti'  -t  as  naval  captain  and 
tl  ■  II  a'N  pilot-majo.'.  a  po- 
.tion  of  distinciion   and 
tinMJument.  which  In-  en- 
i  )yed  throP'-h  the  greater 
part  of  his  long  liic.   This 
gave  him  the  opportunitv 
in     the     preiKiralion     of 
I  harts  or  in  conveisation 
with  ii' .  friends,  to  state 
things  as  he  chose  in  re- 
gard     to     the      voyag'^s 
which  he  claimed  to  have 
made, cither  alone  or  with 
his  father,  and   his  word 
was     generally,     though 
not  always,  accepted. 

The    result    has    been 
that,    with    Sebastian    as 
the    only    informant,    the 
two      voyriges      became 
ho])elessly    mixed    in    the 
imblic  mind,  and  Sebas- 
tian has  had  all  the  glory. 
His     portrait,     too,     has 
served  to  keep  alive  his 
assumptions,    while    his    poor    father 
rested  in  oblivion.   All  the  writers  until 
recently  made   obeisance  to  the   son. 
It  is  rather  surprising  indeed  that  no 
monument  has  been  erected  anywhere 
in  his  lu)nor.     We  may  congratulate 
ourselves  in  this  country  that  the  sug- 
gestion of  William  Doyle  in   1770  to 


656 


THE  CABOT  CELEBRATION. 


|l«rt.— TWi  ibtlik   WM    tfMt4,  m4   r«4w«4  br 

p«Witb«4  IB  in  »l  M*dr«l.  br  dloot  Csmtm  VftJIv* 
ud  prof.  TruMr  wl(b  >  i«^ripU<»  hy  AniMtio  Vmmm 
TW4oU«4  MtilM  PMT  tb*  Ibir4  flag  Mark*  k  kiil«  (b 


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N^llli  RltritNl  clif»«  WurT  m  CmT. 


«  (;  .1.-  Ijmho 

10.  lui-niitre 


30.  S  ifngor. 


II  «ni«ir 

IL'.    t<4lt<.. 

13.  rii>  Imiga 

II.  ilU  He  U  iTMildjit 

lA.   H  Nln.lu. 

III  ('«<'.il«!)  Jnlui 
17    unn. 

IN.  ('^(^•tnnMlra. 

I'J  Civii  iltf  ViiKUU'rrfc 

II.  »  Vrrji- 


THE    CKLEBRATKD    CHART   OK    J.A    COSA, 

Of  which  this  is  a  reduced  section  taken  from  Ur.  Dawson's  nion(jRrji|)h— was 
made  on  parchment  In  1500  for  Ferdinand  and  Isabella.  It  has  had  a  rt-niarkalile 
history,  and  is  to-day  of  the  greatest  value  to  all  Cahotlan  scholars.  It  Is  the 
earliest  map  of  American  waters.  Spanish  tlags  wave  over  Cuba  and  the  adja- 
cent Islands.  Turning  the  chart  half  way  round  to  the  left,  we  see  live  KuK-lisii 
flags  with  various  interesting  Inscriptions  along  the  shore,  from  the  "Sea  discov- 
ered by  the  English"  in  the  south  to  the  "Cape  of  England"  in  the  north.  The 
names  are  variously  Interpreted,  but  are  believed  to  represent  tlie  places  visited  by 
Cabot  in  the  two  voyages. 


name  North  America  "Sebaslia"  did 
not  take  effect.  If  it  had,  we  sliould 
have  been  saddled  with  a  far  greater 
historical  inaccuracy  than  is  now  the 
case  with  "America,"  which  in  the 
judgment  of  many  is  not  so  far  wrong 
after  all;  and  the  name  is  really  an 
ideal  one  in  itself.  "Cabotia,"  which 
•was  advocated  at  one  time,  would 
have  been  correct  as  applied  to  North 
America,  with  the  understanding  that 
it  commemorates  the  father. 

All  these  errors  might  have  been 
avoided  if  the  papers,  chart  and  globe 
of  the  elder  Cabot  had  not  mysteri- 
ously, and,  as  many  believe,  surrepti- 
tiously disappeared  on  his  return  from 
his  first  voyage.  And  we  should  have 
known  much  more  of  the  truth  if  any 
proper  attention  had  been  paid  to  the 
letters  patent  which  were  published 
by  Hakluyt  in  his  Divers  Voyages  in 
1582,  showing  clearly  to  whom  the 
grant  was  made.  Hakluyt  also  tells  us 
that  Sebastian's  maps  and  discourses 
were    then    in    the    custodv    of    one 


of  Cabot's  old  associates.  William 
Worthington,  who  was  willing  to  have 
them  seen  and  pulilished.  l>ut  ap- 
])arently  they  never  were  seen  and 
published,  and  what  became  of  them 
no  one  knows.  William  Worthington 
therefore  becomes,  like  Sebastian  liim- 
self  and  the  Spanish  ambassador,  a 
suspicious  character. 

And  so  it  has  come  to  pass  that  we 
have  not  a  scrap  of  inlorniation  about 
either  of  the  Cabots  in  their  own  hand- 
writing: and  in  the  general  confusion, 
we  are  left  with  only  what  others  have 
said  and  written  about  them  —  and 
that  almost  exclusively  about  Sebas- 
tian. Until  lately  no  one  has  at- 
tempted to  reconcile  the  glaring 
discrepan  :ies  in  the  various  accounts. 
Each  autlior  has  followed  the  errors  of 
his  predecessors,  and  transmitted  an 
ever  increasing  bundle  of  unproven, 
contradictory  and  vexatious  state- 
ments, and  these  have  composed  the 
materials  of  the  Cabotian  history. 

Happily,  however,  for  the  cause  of 


' 


THE  CABOT  CELEBRATIOX. 


'.V 


ap- 
and 


truth,  after  three  oenturifs  and  a  half 
of  jj^ropinj;-  in  the  dark,  the  modern 
critical  demand  fororijjinal  documents 
has  led  to  a  thorouijh  and  costly  search 
amonj^  the  jj^reat  archives  of  luirope. 
'J'his  effort  has  been  rewarded  Ity  the 
discovery  of  certain  writinj^s  of  ex- 
ceeding value.  Those  which  bear  di- 
rectly upon  our  sid)ject  may  be  emnn- 
erated  here  for  the  conven- 
ience of  the  ^-eiieral  reader, 
especially  as  they  have 
formed  the  chief  topic  of 
discussion  at  the  recent  cel- 
ebrations. 

OUH51XAT.,  DOCl'MIONTS 

HKAUING 

OX  Til  10 

CAUOT  VOVAOKS. 

1.  The  naturalization  pa- 
pers g-ranted  to  John  Cabot 
by  the  X'enetian  Senate. 
147^).  in  consideration  of  a 
residence  of  fifteen   years. 

2.  'J'he  Letters  Patent  is- 
sued by  Henry  \  II..  March 
5.  1496.  to  John  Cabot  and 
his  three  sons.  Lewis,  Sebas- 
tian and  Sanctus,  with  au- 
thority to  visit  imder  the 
royal  banners  all  coiuitries 
and  seas  of  the  east,  of  the 
west  and  of  the  north.  The 
south  was  prudently  omitted 
in  this  broad  license. 

3.  The  entry  in  the  Privy 
Purse  ex])enses.  August  10. 
1497,  <^^  '^  gratuity  of  iio 
"to  hym  that  founde  the 
new-  Isle." 

4.  A  private  letter  from 
Lorenzo  Pasqualigo  to  his 
brothers  in  \YMiice.  dated 
London,  August  23.  1497. 

5.  An  official  despatch 
written  the  very  next  day 
by  Raimondo  de  Soncino. 
envoy  of  the  Duke  of  Milan 
in  England. 

6.  Another  communica- 
tion from  .Soncino  to  his 
government,  dated  the  fol- 
lowing- December. 


jTlio  last  tlirtc  documonts  .ill  n-for  to  the 
first  voy.iKC  and  show  that  Xnrtli  .XmiTica 
was  (lisoovt-riMl  by  Jitiin  Cahot  in  1497. 
'riiL'v  (li>  not  nu'iitioii  the  nanu-  of  Sehas- 
tianj 

7.  .Memorandum  of  a  pension  of 
fjo  i)er  amuun.  granted  by  Henry 
\1I.  to  Jolni  Cabot,  dated  December 
13,  14»)7.  A  charijfe  ui)on  the  customs 
of  tJH'  Port  of  P.ristol. 


SEBASTIAN    CABOT, 

With  globe  and  tompa.sses,  hour-slass  and  wiltinR 
miiti'i'lals,  from  tlie  wcll-knowii  portrait  fornicrly 
attributed  to    llollit-in. 

In  tlic  early  part  of  the  XVll.  cfntiiry  a  portrait 
bcarinK  thi.K  inscription  was  In  the  King's  <iallery 
at  Whitehall.  In  1T!I2  Mr.  Harford  of  Bristol  saw  it 
at  Slains  Castle,  Scotland,  and  afterward  obtained 
possession  of  it.  It  was  enKraved  by  Rawie  for 
Seyer'.s  Bristol  in  1S21,  and  a  few  yt'ars  later  sold  In 
l^ondon  for  C'lOO  to  Richard  HidiUe.  who  brouKht  It 
to  his  home  in  Pittsburfr.  Penn..  where  it  was  un- 
fortunately destroyed  by  lire  in  1X4").  A  g-ood  copy  of 
it,  liowevcr,  in  oil  had  been  taken  by  Cha|)man  for 
the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  and  another 
for  the  New  York  Historical  Society.  It  has  also 
been  engraved  in  this  country.  The  venerable  cos- 
moKrai)her  wears  the  rii'h  rol)e  and  heavy  gold  chain 
of  one  of  the  great  commercial  companies  of  which  he 
was  governor.  The  legend  at  the  right  Is  SPES  MKA 
IN  DEO  EST:— "My  hope  is  in  God."  The  other 
may  be  translated:  "The  i>ortrait  of  Seba.stian  Oabot 
Englishman  the  son  of  John  Cabot  Venetian  Golden 
Knight  the  first  dihcoverer  of  Newfoundland  under 
Henry  VII.  King  of  England."  This  Inscription  would 
seem  to  have  emanated  from  Sebastian  himself.  It  is 
both   erroneous   and  ambiguous. 


658 


THE  CABOT  CELEBRATION. 


\    11 


8.  New  Letters  Patent  issued  Feb- 
ruary 3,  1498,  to  John  Cabot.  No 
mention  is  made  of  his  sons. 

9.  Memorandum  of  loans  from 
Henry  VII.  to  some  of  Cabot's  com- 
panions "going  to  the  newe  ile." 

10.  Despatches  sent  to  Ferdinand 
and  Isabella  by  De  Puebla  and  De 
Ayala,  Spanish  ambassadors  in  Eng- 
land, referring  to  Cabot's  map  and  de- 
scribing the  departure  of  the  second 
expedition. 


that  these  new  materials  could  be 
given  to  the  world  and  examined  be- 
fore the  completion  of  the  fourth  cen- 
tenary of  the  great  discovery.  Other- 
wise we  should  hardly  have  known 
what  to  celebrate,  when  to  meet, 
whom  to  honor,  or  how  to  distinguish 
the  two  voyages. 

The  main  facts  to  be  kept  in  mind 
are  that  John  Cabot  was  a  Genoese, 
and  his  wife  a  Venetian.  They  lived 
in  X'^cnice  many  years,  and  had  three 


PORTRAIT    OP    HENRY    VII. 

After  the  engraving  by  J.  K.  Sherwin, 
1788,  from  the  original  In  the  Royal 
Colleotdon,  Kensington. 


11.  La  Cosa's  celebrated  chart  of 
1500. 

12.  The  mappcmoiide  of  1544,  at- 
tributed to  Sebastian  Cabot. 

These  are  substantially  all  the  con- 
temporary documents  thus  far 
brought  to  light.  They  have  cleared 
away  many  doubts  and  established  a 
few  very  important  facts  which  the 
writers  of  our  time  have  eagerly  im- 
proved.      It   was    fortunate,    indeed. 


sons.  He  made  voyages  to  Mecca, 
Portugal  and  Spain.  About  1490  he 
settled  in  England  with  his  family, 
and  was  known  as  an  experienced  sea- 
man. For  several  years  he  enter- 
tained the  idea  of  crossing  the  ocean. 
Under  royal  authority  he  commanded 
the  Matthew,  sailing  from  Bristol 
early  in  May,  1497,  with  a  crew  of 
eighteen  men,  nearly  all  of  whom 
were  Englishmen. 


THE  CABOT  CELEBRATION. 


659 


John  Cabot  landed  on 
the  North  American  shore 
in  June,  1497,  and  planted 
there  the  banner  of  St. 
George  and  the  winged 
Hon  of  St.  Mark.  He 
coasted  for  several  days, 
finding  "an  excellent  and 
temperate  climate,"  and 
making  no  mention  of  ice. 
He  saw  no  human  beings 
on  that  voyage,  hut  found 
signs  of  occtipation  in 
felled  trees,  snares  for 
game  and  a  bone  needle 
for  making  nets,  which  he 
brought  back  for  the  king 
He  was  again  in  I^ondon 
on   the    tenth    of   August. 


\  V 

_c==^^^\!r^^^ft 

\^ 

f^S^ 

r\ 

r^V  - 

\      \ 

J^        V^-^-^x""''^ 

\      \  ^ 

^^^A^^ — ^"x^^     \ 

\% 

\  W 

'a/  \ 

\     \ 

\_^ 

SECOND    VOYAGE 

vi  ' 

\ 

or  JOHN  CABOT. 

PROBABLE    tXTENT 
OF    DlSCOVERV 
5HLWN         -— —  -- 

\  FIRST  VOVA&E. 
or  JOHN  CABOT 

PROBABLE    tXTCNt 
OF   OlSCOVERV 


J 


This  voyage  Included  Lab- 
rador "■<"  "ore  coaaUng  to 
the  Sou  • 


Canadian  authorities  claim  that 
this  voyage  did  not  include 
much  o(  Labrador. 

having  accomplished  the 
whole  voyage  in  about 
three  months. 

Some  of  the  questions 
still  unanswered  may  also 
be  stated: 

(i).  When  the  Cabot 
family  became  residents  of 
Bristol,  and  where  they 
lived. 

(2).  As  to  the  date  of  the 
landfall,  whether  June  24, 
as  is  commonly  believed, 
or  a  week  or  two  earlier, 
as  suggested  by  Harrisse. 

(3).  As  to  the  place  of 

the  landfall, — a  question  of 

the  greatest  interest.    This 

is  warmly  contested,  there 

being  no  documentary  evidence  until 

1843,  when  the  so-called  Cabot  mappe- 


66o 


THE  CABOT  CELEBRATION. 


5  Ls"<T°'^ 


Showing  the  Chapel  of  the  Assumption  on  thi' 
Bridge  and  tho  Cliurch  and  Gate  of  St.  Nicho- 
las beyond.  This  cut  and  several  others  are 
taken  from  the  Interesting  brochure  of  KUza- 
beth  Hodges,  "The  Cabots  and  the  Discovery 
of  America,"  London  and  Bristol,  1897. 


momic  was  discovered,  locating 
the  Prima  ticrra  vista  near  the 
northern  part  of  Cape  Breton. 

(4).  As  to  the  statement  in  I'as- 
qualigo's  letter  that  Cabot  "coast- 
ed 300  leagues." 

(5).  What  the  two  islands  were 
which  he  saw  to  star]>oard  on  his 
return. 

(6).  When  and  where  John 
Cabot  died,  and  under  what  cir- 
cumstances. 

(7).  The  burial-place  of  either 
John  or  Sebastian. 

(8).  Where  and  when  Sebastian 
was  born. 

(9).  Whether  Sebastian  accom- 
panied his  father  on  the  first  voy- 
age, or  even  on  the  second. 

(10).  Wlien  the  second  expedi- 
tion returned,  and  what  was  said 
of  it. 

With  this  revived  interest  in  the 
study  of  the  Cabots  it  was  inevit- 
able  that   so  great   an   e\'ent   in 


human  history  as  the  find- 
ing of  this  continent  could 
not  pass  another  centen- 
nial period  without  being 
noticed.  Invents  of  far  less 
importance  are  being  com- 
memorated every  year  in 
all  civilized  countries.  The 
echoes  of  the  Columbian 
pageants  in  Spain  and  Chi- 
cago were  still  in  the  air; 
and  although  British  sub- 
jects have  never  disjiuted 
the  just  claims  of  the  great 
admiral,  they  have  learned 
in  these  latter  days  to  rec- 
ognize the  debt  they  owe 
to  that  other  Cenoese,  who 
added  more  territory  and 
more  wealth  to  the  crown 
of  England  and  to  the 
English-speaking  race  than 
any  other  man. 

It  is  interesting  to  notice 
that  the  first  proposal  for 
the  observance  of  Cabot's 
{|uadri  -  centenary  came 
from  Newfoundland,  — 
England's  oldest  colony. 
The  Rev.   Moses  JTarvev, 


^(f)^^\^■^^^^  \'^VYV^^^  ^^^^^^^^^Jp 


FROM  THIS  POKT 

JOMM  CABOT. 

AMD  HIS  SON 

SEBASTIAM, 
(WHO  WAS  mm  m  ei^istol) 

SAILEU IM  TME  SHIP  MATTHEW 


AHD  DISCOVERED 
THE  COMTIMENT  OF 

AMERICA 


TABLET    ON    ST.    AUGUSTINE'S    BRIDGE. 

Erected  In  1894.  Some  authorities  ques- 
tion the  statement  that  Sebastian 
participated  in  the  voyage  of  1497; 
and  many  believe  that  he  was  bom 
in  Venice. 


THE  CABOT  CELEBRATION. 


66 1 


the  esteemed  historian  of  tliat  islantl, 
published  a  communication  in  the 
Maritime  Monthly  Magazine,  as  far 
back  as  1874.  advocating  such  a  cele- 
bration; and  the  Royal  Society  of  Can- 
ada nnist  be  credited  with  being  the 
first  organization  to  take  the  matter 
up  energetically,  guided  by  the  en- 
thusiastic efforts  of  Dr.  I'ourinot. 

A  deputation  of  well-known 
Canadians  went  to  England 
in  June,  i8<j6,  to  recommend 
an  appropriate  connnemora- 
tion  there.  They  were  hos- 
I)itably  enter- 
tained at  Bristol 
at  a  dinner 
given  by  the 
A!  a  y  o  r  a  n  d 
Mayoress,  and 
the  suggestion 
that  some  mon- 
ument to  Cabot 
be  erected  in 
I'risLoI,  sinnil- 
taneously  with 
one  in  Canada, 
met  with  warm 
approval.  A 
large  connnittee 
w  a  s  ajipointed 
to  obtain  an- 
c  i  e  n  t  <1  o  c  u- 
ments,  charters, 
portraits  a  n  d 
other  relics 
illustrating  the 
naval  enterprise 
of  Bristol  in  the 
fifteenth  a  n  d 
sixteenth  centu- 
ries, and  also  to 
arrange  for 
some  worthy  memorial  in  the  form 
of  a  statue  "of  one  or  other  of 
the  Cabots."  or  of  a  group,  to  be 
inaugurated  on  the  anniversary  in 
1807.  At  the  same  dinner,  the 
I'nited  States  Consul,  L.  A.  Lathrop, 


THK    CABOT   MEMORIAL 
BRISTOL. 


In 


.\merican    continent    for   the    Anglo- 
Saxon  race. 

The  plan  of  a  memorial  tower  met 
with  general  favor,  especially  as  Bris- 
tol had  a  magn'ticent  site  for  it  on 
Brandon  Hill,  a  lofty  and  conspicuous 
elevation,  with  twenty-five  acres  of 
unoccupied  land,  considered  to  be 
"the  finest  inter-urban  hill  in  b-ng- 
land."  it  has  the  great  ad- 
vantage of  being  e(|ually 
accessible  to  the  old  city  and 
to  the  iK)pular  modern  suburb 
of  Clifton.  The  extpiisite 
panoramic  view 
embraces  t  h  e 
E  n  g  1  i  s  h  and 
Welsh  hills, 
with  the  broad, 
sparkling  waters 
of  the  r.rislol 
Channel  lying 
between,  and 
the  meandering 
Avon  threading 
its  way  througli 
the  heart  of  the 
city  and  then 
(lis  a  p  pearing 
under  the  neigh- 
l)oring  cliffs  till 
it  hastens  to 
join  the  great 
e  s  t  u  a  r  y  a  t 
A  von  m  o  u  t  h , 
whrre  the  new 
docks  afford 
ani])lt  facilities 
for  the  reviving 
trade  of  Bristol 
with  B  o  s  t  o  n 
and  other  trans- 
atlantic ])  or  t  s. 
( )n  the  top  of  Brandon  Hill  there 
was  once  an  old  hermit's  cell,  with 
a  chapel  dedicated  to  St.  Bernard, 
who  came  hither  with  his  Irish  marin- 
ers after  their  traditional  wanderings 
over  the  "Sea  of  Darkness."    The  spot 


TOWER, 


Process   of   C'ciistriution    on    Rriindon    Hill. 
Designed  by   W.  S.  (Jougli. 

The  hill  rises  PjO  feet  above  the  river  iiml 
the  Tow<'r  will  be  105  feot  high.  The 
octagonal  spire  is  to  he  siirmoiiiUe<i 
liy  a  winged  figure  standing  on  a 
globe.     These  will  be  glided. 


Esq.,  expressed  his  hearty  interest  in  thus  acquired  sanctity  in  the  eyes  of  all 

the  movement  and  only  regretted  that  sailors,    and    it    was    their  custom   in 

his  own  countrymen  did  not   seem  to  Cabot's  time  to  visit  the  old  shrine  be- 

recognize  the  full  importance    of   the  fore  embarking  on  their  voyage,  and 

event    which    pre-empted    the     North  again  upon  their  return. 


662 


THE  CABOT  CELEBRATION. 


i 

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1 

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1'    ' 

. 

i 

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1         1 

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THIS   TABLET  18  IN  HONOUR  OF  THE   FAMOUS   NAVIGATOR 

John  Cabot 

Who  under  autbon^j-of  letters  pfttcnt  of  HENRY  VII  directing  him  to  conquer 
OfC«/2yaW/oo5scss  for  ENGLAND  all  lands  he  twghifind'/n  mintcvcrpart  of  t/ir 
^yorA/fAzy  ^sailed  in  a  BRISTOL  Ship  THE  MATTHEW,  and  first  planted 
llfcHags  of  ENGLAND  and  VENICE  on  the  21""  of  June  1197  on  the  north  eastern 
seaboard  of  NORTH  AMERICAand  \ff  his  discoveries  m  this  and  the  following  jcar 
pave  to  ENGLAND  a  claim  upon  the  ConliDent  luhich  the  colonizing  spirit  of  her 
-^aIt     sons  mode  tjood  in  later  times     jj/c^ 

TAis  tahkt  wa%phccdm  this  hAllfyi  the  HOYAI.  SOC/rT)' ofCASADA  in  JUNE  78,97 
nArn  the  BRITISH  EM fWEwa^  cchbrAtin^  the  SIXTIETH  Anniycr^ary  oftAc 
/hccssion  ^//o'r A/a/csty  ^l/A'£/V  I'ICTOI/IA  durum  wAosc  beneficent  reipn  the 
J)fiminion  ofCAUAMAaa'cxfcnfAcl/jom  tlie sliorc&Jirst  seen  hyCttBOToiidFiirthsh 
sailotsjourhundrcdjfcars  Uforc  to  the  fur  PMific  coast 


<^tEro^ 


JG  BovfiMor  C  Ate  Horn  Sec  A  5  C 


City  or  finisTOL  Otitr-Aits 
WntMU  ftotttr  B*Min»  U  f* 
VIniiAM  Howtii  D^Vfl^    JP 


HisCtcciLimcY  tmcEakl  or ABt^Dtti 

Govcrnof  General  of  Cfiftada 

HisHotiOvtl  MBDaiy  Lifutmwf  Go^rmor 
of  No\ci  ScotiB 


BRONZE  TABLET  IN  THE  PROVINCE  BUILDING  AT 

HALIFAX. 

Unveiled  June  24.  1897. 


The  tower  which  is  to  occupy  this 
commanding  situation  is  an  ornate  ex- 
ample of  medieval  architecture,  such 
as  can  occasionally  be  seen  in  France 
and  Italy.  It  has  continuous  but- 
tresses at  the  angles  from  base  to  sum- 
mit. Tlie  upper  story  will  be  relieved 
by  ornamental  balconies.  Panels  are 
provided  near  the  base  for  bas-reliefs 
and  inscriptions,  one  of  which  will  be 
filled  in  by  the  American  subscribers. 

The  corner-stone  was  laid  by  the 
Marquis  of  DufFerin  and  Ava  with  im- 
posing ceremonies  on  the  24th  of 
June,  1897.  It  was  fitting  that  this 
honorable  service  should  be  entrusted 
to  a  former  Governor-General  of 
Canada  and  one  familiar  with  nautical 
achievements  as  the  author  of  Letters 
from  High  Latitudes  is  known  to  be. 
Of  course  the  eminent  guest  received 
the  official  presentation  of  the  freedom 
of  the  city,  according  to  the  ancient 
usage. 

In  opening  his  address  Lord  Duf- 


ferin  complimented  Bristol  upon  her 
desire  to  honor  the  man  to  whom 
England  is  indebted  for  two  of  the 
most  precious  jewels  in  her  crown — 
Canada  and  Newfoundland.  Bristol 
men  were  the  founders  of  England's 
power  on  the  high  seas.  It  was  the 
encouragement  they  gave  John  Cabot 
that  induced  Englishmen  a  little  later 
to  follow  the  sea  as  a  profession.  The 
speaker  then  dwelt  upon  the  old  be- 
liefs in  the  existence  of  mysterious 
lands,  beyond  the  setting  sun,  that 
haunted  the  imagination  of  Europe  so 
long.  Geographical  science  was  at  a 
low  ebb  when  the  map-makers  were  so 
stufTed  with  travelers'  tales  that  they 
delineated  chiefly  a  population  of 
dragons,  griffins,  mermaids,  unicorns 
and  other  monsters  until  their  charts 
resembled  a  zoological  museum.  Tlie 
Arabs  preserved  more  correct  notions, 
but  they  always  had  a  horror  of  the 
Western  Sea  and  declared  that  any 
one    attempting   to  invade  its  waters 


THE  CABOT  CULEBRATIOW 


66s 


should  be  considered  insane  and 
should  be  deprived  of  his  property  and 
all  civil  rights. 

Cabot  appeared  upon  the  scene  just 
as  Bristol  had  been  fitting-  out  expedi- 
tions, year  after  year,  in  searcli  of 
those  elusive  isles  which  were  on  all 
the  maps  of  the  time.  We  can  imag- 
ine him  setting  sail  that  May  morning 
with  his  crew  on  the  Matthctv,  with 
its  lofty  poop,  low  waist  and  plunging 
bow,  and  "after  what  must  liave 
proved  a  prosperous  voyage  sighting 
the  Cape  of  Bona  Vista,  or  wliatever 
point  on  the  coast  of  Newfoundland, 
Labrador  or  Cape  Breton  the  Uarned 
may  determine  to  be  his  landfall."  Tlu 
results  flowing  from  Cabot's  northern 
expedition  were  infinitely  superior  to 
those  which  followed  the  Spanish 
conquests  and  colonizations.  The 
Spanish  adventurers  brought  vast 
regions  under  the  dominion  of  the 
Spanish  crown,  and  for  a  time  poured 
rivers  of  gold  into  the  Spanish  treas- 
ury; but  they  inaugurated  a  barren 
policy  of  cruelty,  rapine  and  extortion, 
which  led  to  the  extinction  of  two  in- 
teresting and  original  civilizations,  to 


.'-  -.  .  IL,  -  -• 


vftc^i^. 


M 


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lij   .■■■  ■     i 

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M\ 


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iffi'^-n  wi 


Wk 


T'.IE    CABOT    SIGNAL    STATION,    ST. 
NEWFOUNDLAND. 


Designed  by  Bishop  Howley, 
ado 


The  central  tower  Is 
to  be  adorned  with  a  fisure  representing  John 
Cabot  pointinK'  to  a  srlobe  with  his  left  hand, 
while  lu  his  rig-ht  he  holds  aloft  a  cross-staff 
bearing  an  electric  light,  which  will  be  visible 
to  mariners  far  out  at  sea. 


the  demoralization  of  the  conquerors, 

and  eventually  to  the  impoverishment 

of  the  kingdom 

wliose  revenues 

had    been    thus 

artificially     i  n  - 

Hated. 

On  the  other 
h  and,    J  o  h  n 

Newfoundland  post- 
age stumps,  Issued  at 
iliu  time  of  tho  Cabot 
I'untennlal. 

Cabot,  with  the 
intuition  of  gen- 
ius, a  c  (|  u  i  r  e  d 
for  us  a  pernui- 
nent  footing  in 
a  vast  territory 
peculiarly  fitted  for  the  development 
of  the  best  forms  of  human  energy. 
Instead  of  cities,  temples,  palaces  and 
rich  cultivated  lands,  he  found  deso- 
late primeval  woods,  ice-bound  rivers 
and  a  bitter  climate.  And  yet  it  was 
amid  such  surroundings  that  he  hit 
upon  a  mine  of  wealth  richer,  more 
perennial  and  more  stimulating  than 
the  El  Dorados  of  Peru  or 
the  ingots  of  Mexico. 

Alluding  to  the  wise  col- 
onization policy  of  Raleigh 
and  Bacon,  Lord  Dufiferin 
s])oke  of  the  "virile  and 
austere  Protestant  settle- 
ments of  New  England," 
which  carried  with  them 
the  germs  of  that  republi- 
can spirit  which  has  found 
its  expression  in  the  nu- 
merous and  mighty  com- 
monwealths which  now 
constitute  the  United 
.States.  The  initial  step  in 
this  prodigious  spectacle 
of  human  progression  was 
taken  by  John  Cabot,  who 
opened  the  door  for  us  to 
the  great  continent.  How 
different  the  moral  lesson 
in  the  case  of  Columbus, 
in  whose  caravels  "lurked 
t  h  e    Inquisition,    slavery, 


y.j.  jift^^ 


JOHNS, 


664 


THE  CABOT  CELEBRATION. 


m  !■ 


.  ii  I 


THE    NOUTH    AMKKICAN     PORTION    OF    THK 
MAPPEMONDE     OF     1544. 


(C'AUOT?) 


This  famous  map  was  discovered  In  Bavaria  In  1843  and  de- 
posited In  Paris.  It  Is  attributed  to  Sebastian  Cabot,  and 
bears  numerous  explanatory  Inscriptions  In  Spanish  and 
In  I^atln.  The  words  "prima  tierra  vista"  are  considered 
the  strontrest  arg-ument  for  locating  the  1:  ndfall  at  Cape 
Hreton. 


the  carnage  of  Cortez  and  I'izarro,  the 
devastating-  poHcy  of  viceroys,  and  a 
permanent  instability  of  afifairs." 

While  these  exercises  were  going 
on  at  Bristol,  congratulatory  cable 
despatches  were  exchanged  with  the 
Royal  Society  of  Canada,  whose  pro- 
ceedings at  Halifax  were  attended 
by  a  numerous  comjyany  from  differ- 
ent parts  of  die  Dominion,  together 
with  invited  guests  representing  some 
of  the  older  universities  and  historical 
societies  of  the  United  States.  The 
meetings  continued  through  the 
greater  part  of  the  week,  and  included 
a  brilliant  series  of  festivities,  notably 
those  of  the  22d  of  June  in  honor  of 
Her  Majesty's  Jubilee.      The   Prov- 


ince building  was  placed  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  Royal  Society  by  the  gov- 
ernment of  Nova  Scotia. 

Among  the  papers  read  before  the 
historical  section  were  three  which 
deserve  to  be  mentioned.  One  was 
by  the  Hon.  John  Boyd  Thacher, 
Mayor  of  Albany,  who  in  a  graphic 
style  portrayed  the  first  voyage,  fol- 
lowing the  very  meagre  accounts 
which  are  left  to  us  and  outlining  the 
probable  course,  which  according  to 
the  speaker's  measurement  must  have 
led  Cabot  to  a  landfall  far  up  on  the 
Labrador  coast.  The  second  voyage 
was  also  considered.  Mr.  Thacher 
exhibited  some  interesting  relics  from 
his  private  collection.     Among  them 


THE  CABOT  CELEBKATIOX. 


66$ 


was 
her, 
phic 

fol- 
unts 

the 
to 
[lave 

the 

yage 

cher 

rom 

hem 


was  a  large  and  well  preserved  auto- 
graph letter  of  Henry  \'I1.,  which  we 
are  permitted  to  reproduce,  on  a 
smaller  scale,  with  this  article.  It  is 
written  not  in  "King's  English,"  but 
in  "royal"  French  and  with  slight  re- 
gard to  grannnatical  accuracy,  as  \vc 
should  deem  it  to-day.  The  letter  ap- 
pears from  its  contents  to  have  been 
written  in  1506.  I'hilip  and  Joaiuia 
liad  just  visited  Henry  at  Windsor,  on 
their  journey  to  Spain  to  assume  the 
sovereignty  of  Castile.  Philip's  re- 
lations with  I'erdinand  were  sonie- 
what  strained,  but  this  letter  shows  tlie 
warm  place  he  had  won  in  Henry's 
heart.  .Mihough  the  documeiu  does 
not  technically  belong  to  the  Cabot 
literature,  it  sheds  light  upon  some 
features  of  the  character  of  Cabot's 
king,  and  tJierefore  it  belongs  to  the 
period  which  we  are  considering.  For 
the  convenience  of  readers  who  may 
not  be  conversant  with  paleography, 
a  rendering  of  the  letter  is  here  given,      considered  wholly 

Another  interesting  Cabot  paper 
was  given  by  J)r.  S.  I'-.  I)awst)n  of  ( )t- 
tawa,  whose  elaborate  treatise  on  the 
subject  in  1894,  was  printed  in  the 
Transactions  of  the  Royal  Society, 
and  received  with  much  favor,  though 
naturally  with  some  criticism  by  those 
who  oppose  the  theory  of  a  landfall 
at  Cape. Breton.  In  fairness  to  his  op- 
ponents, Dr.  Dawson  summed  up  the 
whole  question  in  a  clear  and  schol- 
arly manner,  answering  in  detail  the 
objections  that  had  appeared  from  any 


<|uarter  and  seek- 
ing to  dispel  the 
traditional  m  i  s  - 
conceptions  which 
had  so  long  «)ver- 
laid  the  subject. 
I  lis  carefid  study 
of  the  contempo- 
rary documents 
an(l  of  topograph- 
ical and  climatic 
conditions  gav«. 
emphasis  to  his 
c  o  11  c  1  u  «*  i  o  n  s. 
which,  it  nuist  be 
said,  carried  con- 
viction to  many 
of  t  h  o  s  e  who 
heard  him. 

In  all  the  dis- 
cussion at  Hali- 
fax, each  of  the 
two  voyages  was 


Kin  OK  TIIK  WIIALB 

In  Ht.  Miiry  Ut'dcliree 
» 'lii;rch. 


HALL  OF  THK  MERCHANT  VENTURERS. 


Successors    to    the    "Fellowship    of    Merchants," 
records  date   from  1467. 


by  itself.    The  old  mystification  which 
arose    from    confusing    the    two    and 
treating    them    as    if    they    were    one 
has  been  a  hard  incubus  to  shake  off 
from  the  jjublic  mind.     Although  Se- 
bastian Cabot,  that  "Sphin.x  of  Amer- 
ican history,"  was  himself  largely  re- 
sponsible for  this  and  for  many  other 
serious    blunders,    he    has    not    been 
handled  as  roughly  in  America  as  he 
has  by  some  European  writers.       He 
is  regarded  here  as  a  man  belonging 
to    his    time,    not    an    "unmitigated 
charlatan,"     but     diplomatic, 
self-seeking,  unfilial,  treacher- 
ous and  apj)arently  sometimes 
untruthful.     But  all  th's  may 
be  said  of  the  kings  and  cour- 
tiers and  ambassadors  of  that 
day;  and  we  must  always  re- 
member that  we  have  no  writ- 
ings   extant    from    Sebastian 
himself  about  any  of  the  mat- 
ters   in    controversy.      If    he 
were  now  in  court,  he  might 
be  able  to  justify  himself  on 
many  points ;  perhaps  not,  but 
we  may  at  least  give  him  the 
benefit  of  the  doubt. 


BRISTOL, 
whose 


f)66 


Tim  CABOT  CELV.BKATIOX. 


ii:  i'  i 

3;  ■'■  > 
I  11  I 


The  |)rc'si(k'nt  of  the  Royal  Society, 
Archbishop  ()'I?rien,  read  an  elabo- 
rate ati>l  iiij^ciiious  paper,  illustrated 
by  diapranis,  slu)win};f  \n>\\\  the 
mappemondc  that  the  landfall  inif^ht 
have  been  southwest  of  Cape  North, 
within  the  Gulf,  and  that  the  island  of 
St.  John  would  then  have  been  Prince 
Edward  Island.  Taking  up  the  La 
Cosa  chart,  he  j^jave  an  explanation  of 


CAPE  RACK,    NEWFOUNDLAND. 

18U6. 


tablet  to  the  memory  of  John  Cabot. 
The  ceremony  took  place  on  the  J4th 
of  June,  in  the  |)resence  t>f  a  lar^'e  as- 
sembly, including  the  Governor-(  ien- 
eral  of  Canada  and  Lady  Aberdeen. 
Lieutenant-^  iovernor  Daly  of  Nova 
.Scotia,  ofticers  of  the  army  and  navy, 
U.  S.  Consul-(  ieneral  IiiKraham,  the 
Consul-(ieneral  of  Italy,  and  represen- 
tatives from  various  parts  of  tlie  Do- 
minion and  the 
'  "'""-■'        ^'     •    I'nited  States. 

The  Va\v\  of  Ab- 
irdeen  unveiled  the 
tablet  with  charac- 
teristic felicity  of 
m  a  n  n  e  r  and  of 
speech.  He  paid 
appropriate  homaj^e 
to  the  grand  old 
sailor  and  said  it 
was  only  after  the 
labor  of  all  these 
centuries  that  we 
have  been  able  to 
understand  the  importance  of  his  dis- 
covery. 

A  picturesque  incident  occurred  at 
the  close  of  the  ceremony.  A  group 
of  Micmac  Indians,  men  and  women, 


From   Dr.   DawHon's  Summary 

the  meaning  of  Tanais  in  Suncino's 
despatch  which  confirmed  his  position. 
He  then  sought  to  discover  the  scale 
of  Cabot's  shore  line  on  Cosa's  map, 
and  by  a  skilful  process  of  reasoning 
he  obtained  three-eighths  of  an  inch  to  appeared  upon  the  scene,  dressed  in 
a  degree.  Thus  equipped,  the  presi-  the  brilliant  gala  costumes  of  their 
dent  felt  authorized  to  claim  that  tribe,  and  came  forward  to  present 
Cavo  d'  Yn^latcrra  is  Cape  Chidley  gifts  of  their  own  handiwork  to  the 
and  Cavo  dc  Jorge,  Cape  Race.  Other  countess,  who  received  them  in  a  very 
points  are  identified,  and  the  chart,  he  spirited  and  gracious  manner.  Tlie 
thinks,  extends  from  Cape  Henry  to  thought  that  tlicse  children  of  the  for- 
Hudson  Straits.  est  were  descended   from   the   people 

A  poem  on  Cabot  was  read  by  Mr.      whom  Cabot  found  on  these    shores 


W.  Wilfred  Campbell.  Among  the 
guests  of  the  Royal  Society  the  place 
of  honor  was  justly  given  to  the  dele- 
gates from  Bristol,  William  Robert 
Barker,  J.  P.,  and  William  Howell 
Davies,  J.  P.,  both  being  ex-Mayors 
of  that  city.  These  gentlemen  were 
warmly  applauded  whenever  they 
spoke,  and  by  their  presence  and  their 
enthusiastic    addresses     they     added 


made  their  appearance  the  occasion  of 
a  spontaneous  and  long-continued 
outburst  of  applause. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  inscrip- 
tion on  the  Halifax  tablet  does  not 
commit  the  Royal  Society  of  Canada 
to  any  particular  theory  of  the  landfall. 
Most  if  not  all  of  its  members  now 
accept  Cape  Breton  island,  though  un- 
able as  yet  to  agree  upon  the  exact 


much  to  the  dignity  and  significance  spot;  but  in  common  with  all  other 

of  the  occasion.  scholars    they    allow    that,    wherever 

The  chief  object  of  the  meeting  at  Cabot  may  have  first  sighted  land,  he 

Halifax  was  to  erect  in  the  Province  certainly    visited   Newfoundland   and 

building  a  large   and   elegant  bronze  explored  much  of  its  coast.      The  res- 


;m. 


THE  CABOT  CliLliBRATION. 


667 


idents  of  that  oldest  of  Knglaiid's 
colonics  are  justified  in  making  inucli 
of  their  inheritance  in  the  name  and 
fame  of  the  great  discoverer  of  the 
North.  Some  of  their  writers,  like 
Dr.  Harvey,  accept  the  Cape  Breton 
hypothesis.  Others,  hke  Judge 
Prowsc  and  Bishop  Howley,  hold 
tenaciously  to  Bona  Vista  or  Cape  St. 
John.  The  debate  is  likely  to  be 
continued,  if  for  no  other  reason, 
out  of  local  pride.  But  no  one  will 
grudge  the  plucky  Newfoundlanders 
their  right  to  appropriate  as  much  of 
Cabot  as  they  please.  If  the  latest 
learning  does  not  sustain  their  cher- 
ished traditions,  they  may  say  in  reply 
that  they  are  still  prepared  t»  argue 
the  case.  They  may  affirm  that  they 
do  not  accept  the  Mappcmonde  be- 
cause it  rudely  disturbs  the  belief  of 
ages;  and  as  for  the  Cosa  chart,  it  is 
a  mere  crude  sketch  and  may  be  made 
to  prove  anything.  It  is  based,  they 
claim,  on  very  imperfect  information, 
obtained  perhaps  from  some  sailor 
carrying  lish  from  Bristol  to  Malaga. 

Meanwhile  Newfoundland  makes  no 
mistake  when  it  celebrates  the  arrival 
of  the  good  ship  Matthexv,  that  noble 
forerunner  of  the  fleets  that  have 
since  sought  her  harbors  and  drawn 
untold  wealth  from  her  Banks.  It 
was  a  brilliant  scene,  witnessed  last 
June  in  the  enterprising  city  of  St. 
John's,  when  the  gathering  proces- 
sions of  official  dignitaries,  military 
and  naval  officers,  clergy,  merchants, 
civic  bodies,  industrial  clubs,  temper- 
ance and  Masonic  orders,  school  chil- 
dren, fire  brigades,  united  fishermen 
and  other  organizations  were  wending 
their  way,  with  music  and  banners, 
through  the  decorated  streets  to  the 
broad  carriage-road  leading  to  Signal 
Hill.  This  is  the  summit  of  a  moun- 
tain ridge  twice  as  high  as  Brandon 
Hill  at  Bristol.  It  rises  sharply  on  the 
northern  side  of  the  entrance  to  St. 
John's  harbor,  and  is  said  to  be  the 
most  conspicuous  landmark  in  any 
dty  in  America. 

Here  in  the  presence  of  thousands 
of  citizens  was  laid  with  dae  formali- 


ties the  corner-stone  of  the  Cabot  Sig- 
nal Tower,  a  massive  structure  to  be 
built  of  ruck  (|uarried  on  the  spot. 
There  are  two  veins,  purple  and  blue, 
which  will  be  used  alternately.  The 
square,  two-story  central .  hall  is 
flanked  by  square,  castellated  towers, 
one  for  a  signal  station  and  the  other 
for  an  observatory.  The  lower  story 
is  to  have  thick  battering  walls,  the 
roof  will  be  battlemented,  and  the 
flanking  towers  armed  with  bastion 
lookouts.  'Hie  pedestal  tower  sug- 
gests the  Palazzo  Vecchio  at  Flor- 
ence. Signal  Hill  was  fonnerly 
imperial  property  and  was  occupied 
by  a  garrison.  The  old  block-house 
may  still  be  seen.  The  time  is  still 
given  to  the  city  by  the  firing  of  a  gun 
here  at  noonday — the  only  specimen 
left  of  the  many  saucy  muzzles  with 
which  the  hill  once  bristled.  The 
presence  of  several  warships  in  the 
harbor  bearing  the  British,  French 
and  United  States  flags,  and  decked 
in  the  fullest  holiday  bunting,  added 
much  to  the  gala  character  of  the  day. 
Tlie  following  dedicatory  inscrip- 
tioji  was  placed  in  the  foundation 
stone: 

Ad 
Duorum  insignium  facinonim 
Famam   Postcris  in   .'cvum  tradendam 

Quod 

Hodie  eximia  Nostra  Regina  Victoria 

Duodecim  Regni  lustra  expleverit 

Singulorum  descessorum  in  solio  annas  an- 

tecellens 

Rerumque   publicarum    sapientissimam 

moderatricem 

Et  mundo  jam  coduco  Virtutum  omnium 

muliebrum 

Exemplar  se  prsebuerit 

Quodque 

Quadringintis  abhinc  annis 

Inclytus  ille  Nauta  Johannes  Cabotua 

Fragili  rate  perfida  rumpens  freta 
Et  post  ancipites  dubiosque  per  aquora 

cursus 

Hisce  nostris  oris  primum  applicuit 

Novumque  dedit  Britanniae  Mundum 

Futurs  Imperii  amplitudinis  copiaeque 

fontem 

Nos 

Incolae  hujus  Terrse  Novae  Insulae 

Monumentum  hoc 

Quod   una  vel  patriae   amorem  vel  fideli- 

tatem 

Nostram  in  Reginam  exploratissimam 

decUrabit 


668 


IHIi  CABOT  CEJ.P.BR AVION. 


vJ^vw-  ^tf-N,;:;^  ^^u^  V)'Hi^;n  •^rt^^^^^*^^/^ 


Awe 


%< 


kr-tSo»<r 


AUTOOKAi'H  L.aTTii:K   OF   HENRY    Vll. 


(From  the  original  In  the  possession  of  Hon.  John  Boyd 
Thacher  of  Albany.)  Written  at  Richmond,  23  July  [1606],  ad- 
dressed, "A  mon  bon  flls  le  Roy  de  CkustlUe.*'  This  was  Philip 
of  Burgundy,  who  married  Joanna  of  Castile,  and  became  the 
father  of  Charles  V.  Henry  and  Philip  were  intimate  friends, 
and  called  one  another  father  and  son. 


THE  CABOT  CELEBRATION 


Mg 


LETTER  OI'   IlKNRY  VII.  TO  PHILIP  OF  HUKC.UNDY 
KING  OF  CASiiLL.   [1506.] 


Mom  Imn  filz  |  a  vous  <le  fort  l)on  lueur  Je  me  Reco 
'.'•Mwle  I  Jay  Re«  eii  vo/.  ItMtics  es*  /"/'pteM  <1l'  v<'-Ae 
main  a  buenavonte  [Menavcutf  ]  dii  <U'rnier  «le  jiiny  et  par 
(|iu-llt>H  im-Kpriiiu>nt  |  par  le  (tuiil)U-  <lu  dernier  trui 
•  tie  fait  cntre  vous  |  et  le  Roy  v«>i/re  Iwaupere 
J  entend  de  \os/Te  bonne  uinoy  [mnor]  et  concorde  |  de 
qiioy  veritabltMnc//t  suys  tresioreulx  |  et  me 
stMnl)li'  t\/n'  \(>'.  ami/,  vse  dc  tresj^rande  prudence 
Mt  /  apparc oi/  bien  i\in-  led/V/  traictie  est  ^randcment 
a  v^'.ur     'viiineur  et  louenge  ]  esperant  i\iti'  beau 
,  cop  dc   .leillt'urs  choses  sen  ensuyueront  en 

lad/r7ueuir  |  V.\.  Jf  suys  tres  grandeme/zt  console  de  >     ' 

veoir  ip/f  \uir  \ostxt  scetir  et  l)onne  dis<ression  vous 

auc/  mis  vo/.  affaires  dep</nlela  en  bonne  paci 

tifi(  ac/on  |  au  gre  et  contcntcme//t  du  Roy  vr'.i7re 

(lit  beaupere  |  et  de  totiz  les  j^ranr/s  princes  et 

aultres  vo/.  subiectz  dep^z/tlela  |  et  en  les  bien 

traictant  |  ce  vous  <lonnera  toujio//rs  occasion 

de  longuemc//t  p/v>sperer  |  et  de  bien  en  (\uoy 

niyeul.x  contynuer  |  ce  i\i/f  dc  ma  part  je  de 

sire  singulie/emewt  ||  Je  vo//s  ay  adv^rtez  i)ar  auit/*« 

nies  l)re/s  de  la  reg/st/e  i\in  ma  fait  naymes  v^^Vre 

lieucten(////generall  i)owr  vox.  affaires  depardeza  * 

et  les  choses  q//^' luy  ay  offert  faire  en  Vf;j7re  absence  '• 

po//r  VO//S  complaire  et  faire  plaisir  |  come  a  mon 

bon  et  cordial  filz  |  Kt  a  tant  vo//s  diz  adieu  i\i/e 

mon  bon  lilz  vous  domt  ce  (\nt'  vos/xt  cueur  desire 

A  Richemont  |  le  xxiii  \oiir  de  Juliet  de  la  main 

de  sosixQ  bon  frere  cousin  et  bon  pere 

HENRY   REX. 

TRANSr..\TION. 

My  gootl  son.  With  a  good  heart  I  recommend  myself  to  you.  I  have  received  your  letter*  written  in  your 
hand  at  Renavctite  of  the  last  of  June  hy  which  they  explain  to  me  in  double  alwut  the  last  treaty  made  between 
you  and  the  kiuR  your  father-in-law.  I  hear  of  your  good  feeling  and  concord  for  which  I  am  very  happy,  and 
it  seems  to  me  that  your  friends  use  ereat  prudence  and  I  also  perceive  that  the  said  treaty  is  greatly  to  your 
honor  and  praise  hoping  that  many  lietter  things  will  follow  in  the  same  direction.  And  1  am  very  greatly 
consoled  to  see  that  by  your  sure  and  Kood  discretion  you  have  put  your  affairs  there  in  good  peace  to  the  satis- 
faction and  contentment  of  the  king,  your  said  father-in-law  aiid  o(  all  the  great  princes  and  otliers  your  subjects 
there  and  in  treating;  them  well  that  wdl  K've  you  always  occasion  lon^  to  prosper  and  what  is  lietter  c(mtinu(iusly 
which  for  my  part  I  desire  singularly.  I  have  advised  you  by  others  of  my  briefs  from  the  registrar  who  has 
named  me  your  lieutenant  general  for  your  affairs  here,  and  ine  things  that  may  offer  themselves  to  be  done 
in  your  absence  to  oblige  you  and  give  you  pleasure  as  to  my  good  and  cordial  son.  And  now  adieu.  May  my 
good  son  j^ive  you  what  your  heart  desires. 

At  Richmond  the  23d  day  of  July  by  the  hand  of  your  good  brother  cousin  and  good  father. 

HENRY  REX. 


6yo 


THE  CABOT  CELEBRATION. 


^^ 


Intrepidis  nostris  piscatnnbus  in  maris 

fluctibus   periclitantibus 

in  perpetunm  exstabit 

Magna   civium    sodalitatum,    procerumque 

comitante  caterva 

plaudentes  exstruximus 

Hie  primarius  ejusdem  lapis  solide  firmi- 

terque  posuit 

Illustrissimu'S  vir  Dominus  Michael 

Franciscus  Howley 

t         Episcopus    Sancti    Johannis    Civis 

Terrae  Novae 

Generosus 

Hac  Die  XXII  Junii  anno  saluti'S 

MPCCCXCVII 

Doniine  salvam  fac  Reginam 

The  principal  addreioses  made  on  this 
occasion  were  by  His  Excellency  the 
Governor,  Bishop  M.  F.  Howley  and 
the  Rev.  Moses  Harvey,  LL.  D.  One 
of  the  best  poems  of  the  Cabot  centen- 
ary was  written  by  Sir  Robert  Thor- 
burn  of  St.  John's.  The  Newfound- 
land government  issued  a  series  of 
beautiful  postage  stamps  illustrating 
Cabot,  the  Queen's  Jubilee  and  the  re- 
sources and  sports  of  the  island,  such 
as  fishing,  sealing,  mining,  logging, 
caribou  and  ptarmigan  hunting  and 
views  of  scenery. 

If  the  Eskimos,  of  whom  Lieuten- 
ant Peary  has  been  telling  us  so 
much  lately,  had  only  attained  a 
higher  degree  of  civilization,  they 
would  no  doubt  be  on  hand  in 
these  days  rfeady  to  prove  their 
claims,  and  to  set  up  a  memorial  to 
Cabot  on  their  rock-bound  coast, 
somewhere  near  latitude  60  degrees. 
They  have  not  yet  been  heard  from 
in  connection  with  the  celebrations  of 
last  summer.  But  their  cause  is  not 
left  without  a  champion,  and  that,  too, 
one  of  knightly  plume  in  the  contest — 
even  the  foremost  scholar  in  Cabotian 
research,  to  whom  all  other  writers  are 
confessedly  indebted,  whether  they 
accept  all  his  conclusions  or  not.  The 
name  of  Harrisse  carries  great  weight, 
but  as  his  Labrador  theory  is  drawn 
from  statements  which  arc  capable  of 
other  interpretations  without  violat- 
ing the  local  conditions  of  the  prob- 
lem he  is  not  generally  followed  by 
our  western  writers,  who  find  his  po- 
sition in  this  matter  .  ntenable. 


It  should  be  said  that  the  Maine 
Historical  Society  observed  the  Cabot 
festival,  at  its  meeting  in  Brunswick, 
by  a  series  of  valuable  papers,  cover- 
ing the  main  aspects  of  the  subject, 
read  by  the  president,  Hon.  J.  P.  Bax- 
ter, and  several  other  members  of  the 
society. 

This  paper  would  not  be  complete 
without  a  reference  to  the  fine  Cabot 
group  exhibited  last  summer  at  the 
New  Gallery,  London,  by  John  Cas- 
sidy,  of  the  Manchester  Academy  of 
Fine  Arts.  This  young  Irish  artist 
has  received  many  proofs  of  his  talent 
in  the  shape  of  prizes  and  medals  and 
high  commendation  from  the  critics. 
His  orders  for  statues  have  followed 
in  rapid  succession,  and  he  has  just 
executed  one  of  the  Queen  in  colossal 
size  for  the  city  of  Belfast.  This 
group  of  the  Cabots  will  bear  close 
inspection,  and  it  is  sure  to  increase 
the  fame  of  the  artist.  So  far  as  is 
known,  this  is  the  first  attempt  to  rep- 
resent either  of  the  Cabots  in  the 
plastic  art.  One  could  wish  that  it 
might  find  its  way  to  this  country.  It 
would  be  a  great  acquisition  for  any 
of  our  museums,  libraries  or  clubs. 

The  festive  celebrations  of  last  sum- 
mer were  not  expected  to  add  original 
materials  to  Cabotian  literature.  Such 
materials  were  brought  to  light  a  few 
}'ears  ago,  and  have  been  already  de- 
scribed in  this  article.  But  the  cele- 
bro.tions  have  done  much  in  calling 
attention  to  the  results  of  the  latest 
scholarship,  and  in  restating  both  the 
facts  and  the  theories.  The  occasion 
has  also  brought  out  a  few  new  books, 
like  those  of  Weare  and  Peazley. 

The  year  has  indeed  given  us  one 
ancient  record  relating  to  Cabot  from 
a  contemporary  roll  hitherto  unknown. 
It  was  found  early  in  1897  by  Mr. 
Scott  of  the  British  Museum,  whose 
researches  in  the  Westminster  Chap- 
ter House  muniments  were  rewarded 
by  the  discovery  of  the  following  item 
referring  to  the  pension  money  col- 
lected for  John  Cabot: 

(No.  12,243)  endorsed,  "Brystolle, 
the  Accompts  of  the  Custymers."    En- 


THE  LA  HOT  CELEBRATION. 


671 


try  No.  2.  "Iiristollf  Artliurus  Kcniys 
and  Ricarilus  A.  Mcryk  Colkciors 
Custuniaruni  et  Siibsidiorum  Regis 
ibidem  a  festo  Saiicti  Micliaclis  Arch- 
angcli  anno  ircdecinuj  Regis  nunc 
usque  idem  festum  Saiicti  Micliaelis 
tunc  proximo  sequens  reddum  com- 
putum  de  £1,126  7s.  lod.  liiiam  in 
thcsauro  in  una  tallia  pro  Jolianne 
Caboot  £20." 

The  name  of  Cabot  has  had  a 
variety  of  speHings.  The  writer  has 
encountered  no  less  than  sixteen  dif- 
ferent ways,  some  of  which  would 
hardly  suggest  the  great  navigator  at 
all.  There  is  no  known  connection 
between  these  Italian  Cabots  and  the 
Huguenot  Cabots  of  the  Channel 
Islands.  The  representatives  of  the 
name  in  this  country  are  descended 
from  the  latter. 


in  conclusion,  a  caveat  must  be  en- 
tered against  the  error  contained  in 
the  mal'pctnonik  which  gives  1494  as 
the  dale  of  Cabot's  discovery.  Hie 
origin  of  this  blunder  has  been  suffi- 
ciently explained;  but  respectable 
aiii.ho'-';  like  Tarducci,  H.  D.  Traill  in 
Social  England,  vol.  11.,  and  Sir  Wal- 
ter Besant  in  The  Rise  of  the  Empire, 
189/,  pay  no  regard  to  it.  The  simple 
explanation  is  that  some  copyist  in 
transcribing  MCCCCXCVII.  did  not 
properly  join  the  lines  of  the  letter  V, 
making  them  api)ear  to  be  II.  This 
would  give  XCilll.  lUit  the  date  of 
the  Letters  Patent  shouM  put  the  mat- 
ter beyond  dispute. 

Sir  Robert  Thorburn,  in  his  tribute 
to  Cabot,  pays  the  following  conii)li- 
ment  to  his  neighbors  of  the  United 
States : 


"Adown  the  iniglity  ages  as  we  scan 
The  list  of  England's  heroes,  in  the  van 
Of  honored  names,  Cabot  will  hold  a  place 
Among  the  benefactors  of  tlie  race 
Whose  tlag  l(    day  o'er.-hadows  every  sea, 
Teaching  the  world  the  'birth-rigiit  ol  the  free.' 

^  9)C  ]|C  itc  jfC  lie  4t 

And  did  Columbia,  our  fair  sister,  too 
Her  virgin  beauty  spread  before  his  view, 
She  wlio,  what  time  her  starry  banners  wave, 
Leads  forth  the  sons  of  'Pilgrim  Fathers'  brave, 
O  Cabot!  own  their  common  ancestry, 
Sons  of  our  England!  brothers  of  our  race! 
God  bless  and  prosper  ye  with  every  grace, 
Be  ye  the  monument  to  Cabot's  name 
And  write  hi>  record  on  a  scroll  of  fame." 


